zhēn de
standard, pinyin
"Really" in Chinese is zhēn de in pinyin, written 真的. As a question, zhēn de ma? asks "really?" The formal quèshí means "indeed". It is also called zhēn de ma.
Meaning: truly, surprise or emphasis (adverb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Note |
|---|---|
| zhēn de | standard, pinyin |
| zhēn de ma | question, surprise |
| quèshí | formal, indeed |
zhēn de works before an adjective, as in zhēn de hěn hǎo for "really good". On its own with ma it expresses surprise.
Which one should you use?
zhēn alone is also a word for "truly", for example zhēn hǎo for "really good". quèshí is used in writing and careful speech.
How do you pronounce it?
The first tone in zhēn stays high and level, and the zh is a retroflex sound with the tongue curled back.
Did you know?
- The character 真 in zhēn means "true", and it also appears in zhēnxiàng, meaning "the truth".
Examples in context
- Zhè ge cài zhēn de hěn hǎochī.This dish is really delicious.
- Tā quèshí hěn máng.He is indeed very busy.
Example conversation
Yu tells her friend Bo that she got a new job.
- YuWǒ yǒu xīn gōngzuò le.I got a new job.
- BoZhēn de ma?Really?
- YuZhēn de, míngtiān kāishǐ.Really, it starts tomorrow.
